FARM BUILDINGS. 665 



The only objection to this plan is, that the sow has not so much room, and there may be 

 increased danger of her crushing the pigs against the sides of the pen. This objection, how 

 ever, is more apparent than real, from the fact, that no matter how large the pen is, the sow 

 is almost certain to make her bed near one of the sides. She almost invariably, in pigging, 

 places her lack against the rail or side of the pen, the object probably being to prevent the 

 little pigs from getting on the wrong side of her, where they would, in cold weather, be 

 likely to perish before they find the teats. Our breeding-pens have a rail on the inside, 

 about six inches from the sides of the pen, and about one foot high, but the sows before pigging 

 take special pains to fill the space with straw, and we are satisfied that if they did not, the 

 little pigs, when born during a cold night, would often get on the backside of the sow, and be 

 chilled to death.&quot; 



A building for pigs may be made comfortable and convenient, and yet need not neces 

 sarily be expensive. Good planning and ingenuity are essential to render such buildings, as 

 well as all others, especially suited to the purpose. 



Plans for Piggeries. The following plans for convenient piggeries will contain 

 valuable suggestions for those farmers who purpose to build a new one, as well as others who 

 are to repair or otherwise improve the old one now in use. 



Messrs. H. M. and &quot;W. P. Sisson, Galesburg, Illinois, who are extensive breeders of 

 Poland-China hogs, use a breeding-pen, of which the following is a description : The 

 building is 24 x 40, with alley, 4 feet wide, through the center; ten pens, each 8 x 10 

 feet plenty of room for old sows; door to each pen, 2x3^ feet in size ; slide window over 

 each door, excepting two at south end, where window is in the middle of each pen. Door at 

 south end of alley is made in two halves, in order to have upper half open for ventilation. 

 Window over door in south gable. All cross-partitions movable. Two south pens have 

 doors inside, which swing or open into alley, and hook together, forming a passage-way from 

 one side to the other. When partitions are out, both sides can be used for feeding, or one 

 side for feeding, and one for lodging. Partitions can be stowed away on scaffold overhead, 

 and replaced when pens are wanted for sows. The building is set on stone piers, about ! 

 feet high. Sills, 8x8 inches; joists, 2x8; shielding, 4x4; rafters, 2x4, 2 feet apart; roof, 

 pitch, with two good ventilators in peak, right distance apart for appearance. Seven feet 

 from top of sill to top of plate. Stock boards, 14 feet in length, cut in the middle, can be 

 used for the sides; battened all around; sealed up inside with common lumber to bottom of 

 windows; tar paper used on sides and roof ; 2-inch plank for floor ; shingled roof. This, we 

 believe, comprises about all needed for the structure. 



Mr. Pascal Morris, of Philadelphia, an extensive breeder of Chester Whites, uses a pig 

 gery which is susceptible of reduction or extension for a larger, or smaller number of pigs, 

 and is intended to show what many of our practical swine-breeders most desire, viz., a 

 cheap and convenient construction of buildings, separate and distinct from each other, thus 

 avoiding the evils that arise from massing large numbers under one roof. It will be seen 

 that Mr. Morris has an eye to cleanliness and pure air in his piggery, as well as the healthful 

 influences of sunlight in his swine quarters. He also looks after the comfort and safety 

 of his breeding-sows, as twenty-five to thirty of these, farrowing at different seasons, can be 

 accommodated under his system of separate pens, by bringing them successively within the 

 enclosure arranged for them. In the same way, also, an equal number of hogs can be fat 

 tened without crowding or interference with each other. 



The following description explains itself : &quot; The entrance is on the north side of the 

 building, which fronts the south, as does also each separate pen. The main building is 32 

 feet long, by 12 feet wide, with an entrance gate, at each lower corner, to the yard of two 

 first divisions. The entry, or room in the center, is 8 feet wide, allowing space for slop- 

 barrel, feed-chest, charcoal-barrel (almost as indispensable as feed-chest), hatchway, for access 

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